A way of seeing a psychiatrist in the UK

[tesseract49]

I can't wait for the NHS, so I want a letter from a psychiatrist that will prove that I am transgender and eligible for treatment. Does anyone know of an inexpensive way of getting a letter? Are there private psychiatrists that charge reasonable fees that I could see. I do not have much money. I am trying to bypass the red tape of the NHS. xxx

[Laura_7]

You could have a look here:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,187044.msg1665922.html#msg1665922

and here:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,181192.msg1603888.html#msg1603888

And I'd ask for bioidentical estrogen...  if in pill form used sublingually (which is supposed to be easier on the liver and less causing clotting factors).


hugs

[Rejennyrated]

Michael Perring and stuart Lorrimer are both psychiatrists with private practices that will take self referring patients.

Richard Curtis is NOT a psychiatrist but is a private GP who runs a private gender clinic and has contacts with psychotherapists who are qualified to recommend HRT.

Through my lifelong friendship with Russell Reid I know Michael Perring, and I am aware of Richard because he bought Russell's practice when Russ retired a few years ago.

Stuart Lorrimer I have less direct knowledge of - but he works closely with Dr Leighton Seal who is an endocrinologist and one of my teachers at medical school.

So one way or another I should have the contacts to be able to help.

[Rejennyrated]

Oh and as to costs - they all charge about £150 for a consult - but some GP's do refuse to prescribe hormones on the shared care basis this entails. In that case there are often other GP's nearby with whom you can register to get a prescription. So don't fret it is all solvable...

[lokiaqws]

I can't wait for the NHS, so I want a letter from a psychiatrist that will prove that I am transgender and eligible for treatment. Does anyone know of an inexpensive way of getting a letter? Are there private psychiatrists that charge reasonable fees that I could see. I do not have much money. I am trying to bypass the red tape of the NHS. xxx

Ok so you want to avoid the NHS and you want a letter for what? Surgery? A passport? Something to hang on the wall? I'm not sure, as you didn't say what this letter should say in it.

For the record I've just paid £200 to see a psychiatrist earlier this month. I've gotten a letter for a passport, a report indicating I am a transsexual with a classification of F64.0 and I've been recommended for HRT. This is all in the space of one day, but after a 3 month wait to see the psychiatrist.

If this is what you want then you need to do the following...

1) Get your name legally changed. A deed poll or statutory declaration will suffice. You can just leave it at that or you can go and change a pile of other stuff too. The psych won't ask to see anything else (major brownie points).

2) Come out to your employer, family, friends and any one else you give a crap about. If you don't have any, just say you did, the psych won't ask for any evidence of it.

3) Give a long detailed narrative about yourself (you need to demonstrate at least two years of dysphoria). Childhood before puberty and dysphoria is good stating point.

4) Dress and act convincingly in front of the psych as the woman you want to be (extra brownie points).

5) if you can get some blood tests off your GP and show them to the psych (bonus brownie points).

6) Expect to have a saturday spare in three months time to go to London in order to see Dr. Lorimer at Gendercare.

7) Have £200 ready to pay the nice doctor.

[Elis]

I'm in the UK and also chose private. You can't just get a letter by a psychiatrist and get HRT straight away. I went to TransHealth in London and had my initial consult with James Caspian last week. He was was really nice; non judgemental and easy to talk too. I now have to have a few sessions with another counselor who works at the same clinic, who will then send me to Dr Curtis when she diagnoses me as trans to discuss hormones. You do not have to legally change your name before going or come out to work (I haven't yet) and private doctors are more lenient towards how you dress/act. Caspian will also send you a letter about what you told him in the session and you can choose to send that to your GP. I also had to wait two months for my appointment,  so better than charing cross. Additionally I paid £140 for my appointment,  but don't know how much it'll be yet to see the counselor. And I doubt you have to have certain length of time for dysphoria. Good luck

[lokiaqws]

I doubt you have to have certain length of time for dysphoria. Good luck

An F64.0 classification requires a period of no less than 2 years of dysphoria before diagnosis can be made. So yeah, there is a length of time requirement

I'm in the UK and also chose private. You can't just get a letter by a psychiatrist and get HRT straight away.

I got my diagnosis on the first day of assessment and also my letter for passport update, but I went with Gendercare and not Transhealth.

I now have to have a few sessions with another counselor who works at the same clinic, who will then send me to Dr Curtis when she diagnoses me as trans to discuss hormones.

It sounds like you're paying for a lot of £140 sessions before you will get what you need. I only paid for one £200 session before getting my diagnosis and referral for HRT. OP wanted to know the cheapest way.

You do not have to legally change your name before going or come out to work (I haven't yet) and private doctors are more lenient towards how you dress/act.

You don't, but it helps build you a very strong case if you do.

I also had to wait two months for my appointment,  so better than charing cross.

This cannot be argued, if you can't wait to see someone Transhealth is the fastest, but then again the doctors at Gendercare are doing this mainly only on Saturday when they aren't at CHX, so the wait times are slightly longer.


And finally, good luck with your transition.